I Can't Lose You
by madwhaleistruelove
Summary: Jefferson is injured while he and Victor are in Neverland. Luckily Victor is there to save him, but the doctor reacts in a way that Jefferson never expected. [Jefferson/Victor]


**Based on a prompt from otpdisaster (on Tumblr), which reads: "Person A, the more stoic/serious of the two, treating a severe injury that Person B sustained. Person B notices A's hands shaking and tries to crack a joke, which only serves to send Person A bursting into tears over nearly losing B."**

 **I made a few changes, however.**

* * *

Jefferson flinched as the sharp needle pierced his skin, and Victor began stitching his wound with great care and precision. To distract himself from the pain, he focused his gaze on Victor's face, as the doctor continued his work.

The two had been in Neverland, again trying to find something that could help Victor save his brother. Jefferson had suggested that the realm's ability to keep its inhabitants from growing old could contain a secret to restoring life. Unfortunately, they had been unsuccessful in finding anything useful.

Something they had found, however, was a crew of pirates that Jefferson had encountered before, and those encounters had not been positive. One thing led to another, and a fight broke out. During the brawl, Jefferson ended up with some very nasty cuts and bruises, some serious enough to be life threatening if not treated quickly. Luckily, Victor had managed to get to Jefferson's hat in time to be able to bring the two back to his home, where he could patch the hatter up safely.

Once Victor had finished on the most serious of Jefferson's wounds, he stepped back for a moment and exhaled. Jefferson looked up to Victor, noticing the fear in his travelling companion's eyes. Jefferson had never seen him look like this, even when Victor had travelled through his hat for the very first time.

Just a few moments later, Victor continued stitching, but Jefferson saw the doctor's hands shaking slightly. It was unusual, since he always had such steady hands...

"I really have a knack for getting myself in bad situations, don't I?" Jefferson said, laughing a little. The action caused him pain, but he tried hard to ignore it. He hoped that making a joke and showing Victor he was completely fine would put his mind at ease. "I'm lucky you were there, Doc. If it weren't for you, those pirates would've gutted me like a fish."

There was a short moment of silence, and Jefferson stared at Victor - who had again halted his work - waiting for at least the smallest reaction.

"...You can't die." Victor shook his head, looking at Jefferson with a much more serious expression than usual.

"I'm sure I could, but like I said, you saved me—"

"No, listen to me. You mustn't die." Victor said, and Jefferson could swear he saw tears welling in the doctor's eyes. "Nearly everyone I love has died, Jefferson. Mama, Father, Gerhardt… if you were to die, I would have no one left."

"Doc…"

"So, no more dangerous places, no more picking fights with pirates who have a hook in place of a hand." Jefferson almost felt as if he was a child again, being scolded by his mother for getting into too much mischief.

"But Doc, we need to go to these dangerous places, you want to find a way to help your brother, right?"

"Of course, but… what if I wasn't able to get to your hat quick enough and you were killed? What if your injuries were so severe that even I wasn't able to mend them? If I were to lose one more person that I love—"

"Love?" Jefferson grinned at Victor; so widely and mischievously that the doctor was reminded of the strange cat they encountered when they travelled to Wonderland.

To Victor, it may have seemed like Jefferson was only teasing him, but it wasn't just that. Sure, Jefferson was always teasing Victor, poking fun at his introversion and intelligence, but it was only in a playful way. To be honest, he respected Victor, and actually quite fond of him. He was incredibly happy to know that Victor felt the same way, but it wasn't in his nature to be serious about these sorts of things. He just hoped that the doctor could understand his true feelings.

"A simple slip up, Jefferson, please do not mention it again." Victor tried to keep his serious tone, but there was a small break in his voice that Jefferson picked up on. The doctor couldn't even look at Jefferson anymore, and the hatter was sure if there was colour in this realm, a rosy shade would be tinting Victor's usually pale cheeks.

"Just a slip up? Aww, there I was thinking that you actually loved me. Be careful, Doc, you're gonna break my heart." Jefferson pouted.

"It's not wise to antagonise the doctor that is treating you, Jefferson. I could easily have an 'accident' and let you bleed out here." Both people present knew that it was a ridiculous thing to say. Victor had just been getting emotional at the prospect of losing Jefferson. Of course, Jefferson didn't believe what Victor was saying.

"You would never," Jefferson pretended to look offended, gasping mockingly.

Victor sighed. "...No, I wouldn't."

"Good to know. So I can count on you to take care of me then? Since you said you don't want to lose me and all..."

"Jefferson, what I said earlier… please do just disregard it."

"What you said? Which part do you mean? Do you want me to die?"

"No, of course not. I meant the other thing I said."

"You'll have to be more specific. You say a lot of things, you know."

"Jefferson, seriously." Victor frowned at Jefferson, but the hatter merely stared at him blankly. "Ugh, when I said 'love'..."

"Oh, that, of course! How could I forget?" Jefferson laughed. "Well, I can't just disregard it..."

"And why not?"

"Here I was thinking that you were supposed to be smart..." Jefferson shook his head, smirking. "I love you too."

Victor crossed his arms, not looking impressed. "Jefferson, this is not the time for your teasing."

"I'm not teasing you now, Doc, this is serious," Jefferson fought through his pain to stand up, only to place a very soft kiss on the other's lips. He wanted and needed to show Victor that he was truly serious. "I really do love you too, alright? I just wanted to make sure you felt the same way before I said anything."

In that moment, Jefferson had never seen Victor look so happy. The scientist was fighting to keep a grin off his face. "Well... good. Now sit down and let me finish stitching you up."

Jefferson did as he was told, sitting back down in the chair. "You don't ever need to worry, Doc. I'm not going to leave you."

"Thank you."

Victor believed Jefferson, and Jefferson truly meant what he had said. However, only a few weeks later, Jefferson disappeared, and the two didn't see each other for just over 28 years.


End file.
